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Role of Topology and Symmetry for the Edge Currents of a 2D Superconductor
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- The bulk-boundary correspondence guarantees topologically protected edge states in a two-dimensional topological superconductor. Unlike in topological insulators, these edge states are, however, not connected to a quantized (spin) current as the electron number is not conserved in a Bogolyubov-de Gennes Hamiltonian. Still, edge currents are in general present. Here, we use the two-dimensional Rashba system as an example to systematically analyze the effect symmetry reductions have on the order-parameter mixing and the edge properties in a superconductor of Altland-Zirnbauer class DIII (time-reversal-symmetry preserving) and D (time-reversal-symmetry breaking). In particular, we employ both Ginzburg-Landau and microscopic modeling to analyze the bulk superconducting properties and edge currents appearing in a strip geometry. We find edge (spin) currents independent of bulk topology and associated topological edge states which evolve continuously even when going through a phase transition into a topological state. Our findings emphasize the importance of symmetry over topology for the understanding of the non-quantized edge currents.<br />Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures
- Subjects :
- Condensed Matter - Superconductivity
Subjects
Details
- Database :
- arXiv
- Publication Type :
- Report
- Accession number :
- edsarx.2108.12337
- Document Type :
- Working Paper